A potent, slow moving storm system produced impressive snow across many portions of southern Colorado. Woodland Park (Teller County) and the Spanish Peaks (Huerfano County).
Every event with a place to put it; 24 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
A potent, slow moving storm system produced impressive snow across many portions of southern Colorado. Some of the higher reported snow amounts included 6 to 9 inches in the northern San Luis Valley...Maysville (Chaffee County) and Penrose (Fremont County)...10 to 20 inches from near Walsenburg to northern El Paso County...and 20 to 30 inches near Monument (El Paso County)...Rosita and Westcliffe (Custer County)...Texas Creek (Fremont County)...Woodland Park (Teller County) and the Spanish Peaks (Huerfano County).
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 15, 2:38 PM MST, 4 hours 22 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 338 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 337 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016 ...TORNADO THREAT CONTINUES FOR THE EASTERN PLAINS THROUGH THIS EVENING... ...HEAVY SNOW RAMPING UP OVER THE MOUNTAINS... VERY BUSY DAY AT THE WFO TODAY...SO WILL HAVE TO BE BRIEF. IMPRESSIVE TORNADIC SUPERCELL OVER KIOWA COUNTY HAS DISSIPATED...BUT FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED THRU THE AFTERNOON...WITH REDEVELOPMENT OF A LINE OF STORMS EXPECTED FROM 03Z TO 06Z. STORMS MAY CONTINUE AFTER 06Z BUT TORNADIC THREAT SHOULD BE DIMINISHED AS BL STABILIZES. BY 12Z...SHOULD BE MOSTLY STRATIFORM PRECIP WITH SOME EMBEDDED TS POSSIBLE. TOMORROW...SVR THREAT LOOKS LIMITED BUT COULD SEE SOME SVR NR THE KS BORDER SAT AFTERNOON. HEAVY SNOW THREAT WILL RAMP UP OVER NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS COLDER AIR CONTINUES TO MOVE IN FROM THE NORTH. MAIN CONCERN REMAINS SNOW LEVELS...AS LEVELS FALL TO AROUND 6000 FEET SAT MORNING. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN A CHANGEOVER TO SN AT KCOS...BUT A DEGREE OR TWO TEMP DIFFERENCE COULD MEAN SOME BIG SWINGS IN SN POTENTIAL FOR KCOS AND SURROUNDING AREAS. WILL HAVE TO WATCH HOW THINGS DEVELOP OVERNIGHT. GIVEN THE STRONG N-NE WINDS ANTICIPATED SAT MORNING...COULD SEE SOME LOW VIS IN THE MORNING DUE TO BLSN...BUT ACCUMULATIONS AT OR BELOW 6K FEET WILL BE LIMITED BY WARM NR SURFACE CONDITIONS. NEVERTHELESS...A COUPLE QUICK INCHES OF ACCUMULATION NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION ON SATURDAY AS BANDS OF HEAVIER PRECIP MOVE INTO THE I-25 CORRIDOR. THERE IS SOME HINT OF A DRY SLOT PUSHING NWD INTO THE I-25 CORRIDOR SAT AFTERNOON...BUT THIS WILL AFFECT MAINLY THOSE AREAS ALONG AND E OF 1-25...WHERE THE PRIMARY PRECIP TYPE WILL REMAIN AS RAIN. ROSE .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 337 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016 .SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...HEAVIER PRECIPITATION MOVES NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA...WITH HIGHER POPS LINGERING OVER EL PASO COUNTY AND NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER SATURDAY EVENING. ON SUNDAY...UPPER LOW MEANDERS OVER COLORADO. DO NOT SEE ANY SYNOPTIC SCALE FEATURE OVER THE CWA TO ORGANIZE PRECIPITATION...BUT SUSPECT THERE WILL BE ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR SOME SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY WITH SOME SURFACE HEATING. GRIDS HAVE SCATTERED POPS WITH SOME LIKELY POPS OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. .MONDAY AND TUESDAY...UPPER LOW LINGERS OVER COLORADO AND WYOMING ON MONDAY WITH CONTINUED CHANCES FOR SHOWERS ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. MODELS HAVE A GENERAL IDEA OF THE UPPER LOW WEAKENING AND MOVING EASTWARD ON TUESDAY. GFS AND EC SUGGEST A TROUGH MAY PASS OVER THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT...WHICH COULD RESULT IN A MORE ORGANIZED AREA OF PRECIPITATION MOVING ACROSS THE CWA. CURRENTLY...QPF LOOKS TO BE FAIRLY LIGHT WITH THIS TROUGH PASSAGE. .WEDNESDAY TROUGH FRIDAY...TROUGH WEAKENS AND CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD ON WEDNESDAY. A RIDGE ALOFT BUILDS INTO THE REGION THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH A WARMING AND DRYING TREND FOR THE END OF THE WEEK. --PGW-- && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 337 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016 NO MAJOR CHANGES TO FORECAST AT THIS TIME. STRONG STORM OVER NORTHERN NEW MEXICO WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE AREA THROUGH TOMORROW AND BEYOND. PERIODS OF IFR POSSIBLE AT THE TERMINALS THROUGH TOMORROW BEFORE GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT THROUGH SUNDAY. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...A MAJOR SPRING STORM IS ON TRACK TO AFFECT OUR AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND. SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ARE EXPECTED TO THE TAF TERMINALS...PARTICULARLY KCOS AND KALS. HAZARDOUS FLIGHT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY FROM 06Z TONIGHT THROUGH MUCH OF SATURDAY. VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL WIND SHEAR WILL BE HIGH THROUGH SAT EVE. AT KALS...EXPECT CONDITIONS TO DETERIORATE AFTER 06-09Z TONIGHT AS PRECIP CHANGES OVER TO SN. IFR IS LIKELY SAT MORNING. AT KCOS...MAIN CONCERN WILL BE STRONG N-NE WINDS TONIGHT THROUGH SAT. WITH PRECIP LIKELY CHANGING TO SN SAT MORNING...COULD SEE IFR-VLIFR CONDITIONS DEVELOP AS WINDS GUST IN THE 40 KT RANGE. AT KPUB...PRECIP WILL LIKELY REMAIN AS RA THROUGH SATURDAY...BUT MVFR-IFR CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY DURING THIS TIME. THIS SYSTEM IS VERY DYNAMIC...SO EXPECT FREQUENT UPDATES TO EXPECTED CONDITIONS. ROSE && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM MDT SUNDAY FOR COZ058>060-066- 068-081-082. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM MDT SUNDAY FOR COZ061>063-065- 067-072>080. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 AM SATURDAY TO 6 AM MDT SUNDAY FOR COZ070-071-083-088. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 6 AM SATURDAY TO 6 AM MDT SUNDAY FOR COZ069-087. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM MDT SUNDAY FOR COZ084. && SHORT TERM...ROSE LONG TERM...PGW AVIATION...ROSE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 1254 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016 COZ058>089-093>099-161900- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500FT/PIKE'S PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7400 FT-PUEBLO VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FEET- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- CROWLEY COUNTY-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- 1254 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS THE PLAINS TODAY. THE HIGHEST RISK WILL BE EAST OF A LINE FROM LIMON TO LA JUNTA TO KIM. TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...STRONG WINDS...HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING WILL ALL BE CONCERNS. THE PRIMARY WINDOW OF CONCERN WILL BE BETWEEN 1 PM AND MIDNIGHT MDT...WITH THE GREATEST LEVEL OF THREAT LIKELY BETWEEN 4 PM AND MIDNIGHT. HOWEVER...CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE OVER THE PLAINS THROUGH THE NIGHT AND WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY FOR SEVERE AND FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL. HEAVY SNOW WILL SPREAD INTO THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TODAY AND THEN TO THE HIGH VALLEYS...THE EASTERN MOUNTAINS AND THE PALMER DIVIDE TONIGHT. NEW SNOWFALL AMOUNTS BY SATURDAY MORNING WILL GENERALLY RANGE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES IN THE MOUNTAINS...WITH ANYWHERE FROM 1 TO ABOUT 4 INCHES IN THE HIGH VALLEYS. ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS... THE SNOW LEVEL WILL START OUT AROUND 8000 FEET THIS EVENING BUT THEN LOWER TO NEAR 6000 FEET BY SATURDAY MORNING. ACCUMULATIONS ABOVE 6000 FEET WILL BE HIGHLY VARIABLE...RANGING FROM AS MUCH AS 4 INCHES ALONG THE PALMER DIVIDE TO AN INCH OR LESS DOWN AT THE 6000 FOOT LEVEL. DUE TO ABUNDANT AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE...LIFT AND INSTABILITY WITH THIS STORM SYSTEM...ALL AREAS OF SOUTHERN COLORADO WILL SEE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREATS WITH ANY STORMS WILL BE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL. IN AREAS WHERE IT IS COLD ENOUGH...THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE CONVECTIVE SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR. FIRE DANGER LEVELS WILL BE HIGH AGAIN TODAY OVER PORTIONS OF THE PLAINS. A COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES WILL CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID IGNITION...GROWTH AND SPREAD OF FIRES. OUTDOOR BURNING OR ANY OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT COULD START A FIRE SHOULD BE AVOIDED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A LARGE...SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING A VARIETY OF WEATHER HAZARDS TO THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. IN THE MOUNTAINS...SNOW ACCUMULATIONS BY SUNDAY MORNING WILL RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 FEET...WITH 3 TO EVEN 4 FEET POSSIBLE ON TOP OF PIKES PEAK. ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...A MIXTURE OF HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS WEEKEND. THE SNOW LEVEL WILL BE NEAR 6000 FEET BY SATURDAY MORNING...THEN LOWER TO AROUND 5000 FEET BY SATURDAY EVENING. SEVERAL INCHES OF HEAVY WET SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ABOVE THE SNOW LEVEL. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY...MAINLY ALONG THE DRYLINE NEAR THE KANSAS BORDER. IF SEVERE STORMS DEVELOP...TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS WILL ALL BE POSSIBLE IN ADDITION TO INTENSE HEAVY RAINFALL. THE STORM WILL WEAKEN SUNDAY. HOWEVER...ENOUGH MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL EXIST FOR A CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM ANY STORMS DURING THIS PERIOD WILL BE LIGHTNING... SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS MOST OF SOUTHERN COLORADO. 44/44
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
514 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0405 PM HAIL 2 S EADS 38.45N 102.78W
04/15/2016 E1.50 INCH KIOWA CO STORM CHASER
SIZE RANGE 1-1.5 INCH.
&&
RMGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
515 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0405 PM HAIL 2 S EADS 38.45N 102.78W
04/15/2016 E1.50 INCH KIOWA CO STORM CHASER
SIZE RANGE 1-1.5 INCH.
0401 PM HAIL EADS 38.48N 102.78W
04/15/2016 E0.50 INCH KIOWA CO LAW ENFORCEMENT
0250 PM HAIL 5 SW EADS 38.43N 102.84W
04/15/2016 E1.50 INCH KIOWA CO EMERGENCY MNGR
0114 PM FUNNEL CLOUD EADS 38.48N 102.78W
04/15/2016 KIOWA CO STORM CHASER
NEAR EADS. DISTINCTIVE FUNNEL...DREW BACK
INTO THE CLOUD.
0209 PM TORNADO 6 W NEEGRONDA RESERVOIR 38.29N 102.85W
04/15/2016 KIOWA CO TRAINED SPOTTER
0225 PM TORNADO EADS 38.48N 102.78W
04/15/2016 KIOWA CO LAW ENFORCEMENT
0320 PM HAIL 5 N EADS 38.55N 102.78W
04/15/2016 E1.00 INCH KIOWA CO PUBLIC
VIA TWITTER
&&
NWS PUEBLO CO
IRIS SYSTEMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 616 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016 COZ098-160100- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY CO- 616 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN PROWERS COUNTY UNTIL 700 PM MDT... AT 615 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES SOUTH OF LAMAR...MOVING NORTH AT 45 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... LAMAR AND BRISTOL. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM MDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO. LAT...LON 3783 10248 3788 10270 3824 10259 3825 10224 TIME...MOT...LOC 0015Z 196DEG 41KT 3793 10257 HODANISH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
627 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0616 PM TORNADO 3 W WILEY 38.16N 102.77W
04/15/2016 BENT CO TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER NEAR CTY RD HH.5. BRIEF
SIGHTING, QUICKLY RECEDED.
&&
NWS PUEBLO CO
IRIS SYSTEMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 637 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016 COZ099-160100- SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY CO- 637 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL BACA COUNTY UNTIL 700 PM MDT... AT 637 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CAMPO...OR 23 MILES NORTHWEST OF BOISE CITY...MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... SPRINGFIELD AND CAMPO. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM MDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO. LAT...LON 3745 10275 3735 10241 3699 10261 3700 10286 TIME...MOT...LOC 0037Z 196DEG 27KT 3702 10274 HODANISH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
732 PM MDT FRI APR 15 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0723 PM HAIL 6 S CAMPO 37.02N 102.58W
04/15/2016 M1.75 INCH BACA CO PUBLIC
&&
RMGThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
24 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 2016
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 630911, 630912, 630913, 630915, 630916, 630917, 630918, 630919, 630920, 630921, 630922, 630923, 630924, 630925, 630926, 630927, 630928, 630929, 630930, 630931, 630932, 630933, 630934, 630935.